Tachycardia
by Latte the Shipwreck Queen
Summary: When a frustrated Potty Prof uses language that Lucy doesn't understand, she turns to Florence for a translation. A super short and silly Lucifendi fic.


**This is just something silly I wrote a long time ago for my friends. It's been highly edited since then, but it's still just cotton candyish fluff. I normally enjoy writing dark things and sinking beloved ships, but somehow I keep producing these absurd romantic ficlets. I figured I would share it anyway. Hopefully somebody out there will find it at least somewhat entertaining.**

 **I've checked this over, but there might be something I've missed. If that's the case, I highly apologize.  
**

 **I am not brave enough to attempt writing in Lucy's accent, so use your imaginations, m'kay?**

 **Disclaimer: Layton Brothers: Mystery Room belongs to Level 5.**

* * *

"Baker, I'm having issues with you," a very Potty Prof announces when his charming assistant enters the Mystery Room one morning. A lesser woman would have shaken in her boots under his withering gaze, but the bubbly brunette merely blinks, looking thoughtful. She can see, after all, that he is in one of his more sour moods at the moment, and everyone knows that Potty Prof is as fickle and ridiculous as he is aggressive. 'Issues' could mean anything from a serious work-related crisis, to something as minor as having too much sugar in his coffee. (Previous experience suggests the latter.)

"Oh, what kind of issues, Prof?" the Detective Constable asks innocently, trying to gauge the current threat level. "Did I do something wrong? If this is about the case two days ago, then I really think-"

"No, no! It's not about a _case,_ woman!" Alfendi snaps, fiercely brushing his hair away from his golden eyes. Huffing, he rises to his feet and strides over to his young assistant, stopping right in front of her. He fixes the petite woman with a heated look.

"It's not about a _case,_ Miss Baker," he reiterates gruffly, bending down to loom over her. He props one hand against the door behind her, just by her head, almost -but not entirely- invading her personal space.

"No, this is about the very unusual feelings you are causing."

… _Oh._

"Is that right?" A cool smirk slowly spreads across Lucy's face. She has a good idea of what the lanky inspector is trying to say, and she would be lying if she said she hasn't been waiting a long time to hear it. Her knowing look only seems to agitate him further.

"Yes!" The aggravated man huffs, his warm breath washing over her and reminding her of just how close he is. For a fleeting moment, the young DC thinks -and deeply hopes- he will kiss her, but her mentor frowns and suddenly pulls away, crossing his arms indignantly over his chest.

"You give me tachycardia, you little witch."

…

Wait… what?

Whatever Lucy had been expecting him to say, that was not it. Confusion replaces whatever brief spell of disappointment she felt over the missing kiss.

Tachy- _what_?

Alfendi watches her expectantly, apparently awaiting some form of a reply, but the young woman has _absolutely_ _ **no**_ _idea_ how to respond to his declaration.

"I, um- I don't know what that is," she admits hesitantly. The man in front of her blinks, almost as if surprised.

"But it sounds… _unpleasant_ ," she adds, hoping that will somehow pacify him. The redhead purses his lips, but the rest of his face remains carefully neutral.

"Yes, it rather _is_ ," Alfendi confirms after a moment. His tone is dry, but he almost looks lost, as though he has no idea where to go from there. This is likely for the best, as Lucy has no clue either.

"Sorry?" The young woman offers. It comes out as more of a question than a sincere apology, and her bewildered tone seems to break whatever awkward spell her boss is under, for he visibly deflates. Alfendi sighs, his hair fading to a Placid purple. His hand automatically finds its way to the back of his neck, and he rubs it in an almost distressed fashion.

"No, Lucy, don't apologize; it's nothing. I'm sorry about that. I haven't the faintest idea what he- what _**I**_ _-"_ he corrects himself, remembering that his assistant prefers he not refer to himself in third person, _"-_ was on about," Placid finishes, clearly lying. Lucy is obviously not convinced, but she nods regardless, not in the mood to argue.

"If you're certain."

"I'm _quite_ certain. Please, just forget about it," he sighs.

"Alright, Prof."

* * *

Lucy cannot forget about it, however, and during her lunch break she finds herself down in the forensics lab, turning to Florence, the perpetually ill forensic scientist, for guidance.

"Flo, the Prof used a term today that I'm not familiar with. I was hoping you could explain it to me…" The scientist inwardly wonders why her friend didn't ask Alfendi to define the term for her, but she refrains from voicing the question aloud.

"I can certainly try," Dr. Sich sniffles helpfully. "What was it? And don't touch that," she admonishes shortly after, seeing the younger woman nosily poking around at the lab equipment.

"He said that he felt funny and that I gave him, erm…" Lucy's brow furrows as she tries to remember the weird term he used. Truthfully, she hadn't paid close attention when he said it. "Tackee- no, tackuh-"

"Tachycardia?" Florence supplies, trying to keep the smile –and an oncoming wheeze- out of her voice.

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Oh, that's an easy one. The 'tachy' part means 'fast' and 'cardia' is heart-related. It essentially means 'fast heart' or 'rapid heartbeat' and is the technical term for an unusually accelerated resting heartrate." She pauses for a brief sneezing fit. "If something causes tachycardia, it means it causes one's heart to beat fast," the forensics expert explains, hinting as subtly as she can without giving too much away. She looks up from her microscope, smirking slyly.

"Does that help?"

"Yeah…" the younger woman murmurs, too lost in her own thoughts to notice the teasing grin on her friend's face. "I think it does." A smile slowly spreads across her face.  
"Thanks, Flo!" Not waiting to hear the sickly woman sneeze out a reply, Lucy giddily dashes out of the lab.

 _I make his heart race. He likes me!_ She hurries through the long halls of the building until she finally makes it back to the Mystery room. She finds her mentor exactly as she left him, hunched over his desk with his nose buried in a case file.

"Hey, Prof?" she breathes, trying not to sound _too_ excited.

"Yes, Lucy?" Alfendi looks up from the report he was reading.

"You give me tachycardia too," she beams.

He smiles.

* * *

 **Constructive criticism is more then welcome.**

 **Thanks for readin', y'all.**


End file.
